A driver had a shock when his car fell into a large hole dug by workers after a metal plate covering the cavity was shifted by traffic.

The Vauxhall Corsa's front left wheel fell into the hole, in Ashley Road, Walton, on Tuesday afternoon just an hour after workmen had covered it with a heavy metal plate designed to withstand traffic travelling up to 50mph.

But, speaking on Wednesday, Surrey County Council (SCC) contractor Walker Construction confirmed the hole had been dug as part of a two-day project to fix a collapsed drain, which was first reported by a resident last November.

Paul Williams, foreman of the roadwork team, said they found the metal plate dislodged when they re-started work at 8am on Wednesday morning. They were due to have the hole filled in by 3.30pm.

Mr Williams said it would have taken a lorry travelling at more than 50mph to move the plate, which had been lifted into place with a crane and sealed with temporary Tarmac.

"Everything was completely fine when we left last night," he told Get Surrey. "A tank can drive over that plate and it won't move, so you can imagine how fast someone must have been going to knock it off. They must have been going a lot faster than the speed limit.

"That plate should be fine for this area, but not when you've got big articulated lorries coming through at speed."

Mr Williams said the team were not allowed to use temporary traffic lights overnight to direct traffic around the hole, under the terms of the company's contract with SCC.

They couldn't put cones or 'give way' signs around the site because it is on a bend where motorists cannot see oncoming traffic.